Who: Rescuers What: Saved 54 pilot whales and 6 dolphins from about 200 marine mammals When: Sunday March 1st, 2009. Where: King Island (between Tasmania and Australia) Why: Because they got stranded on the beach. Volunteers and Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Services employees refloated the surviving whales and dolphins. How: They pushed them back into the ocean at high tide, returning them back to the sea. But while they were waiting they kept them wet and got them covered with anything they could (bedspreads, blankets and towels). My Opinion: I think it’s sad all the rest of the animals died. In the last 3 months there has been more than 400 whales stranded on Tasmania, and there has been other mass strandings in the past years. There were lots of whales in the water that were calling to the whales that were on the shore, which I think is really sad. I hope that more whales and dolphins don’t die, hopefully there will be some sort of solution to help them.
Protecting the Big Ol’ Blue http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/39355
Summary: Who: Save Our Marine Life Society, which is a collaboration of environmental groups. What: 90% of all the worlds marine species are found off Australia’s south-west coast, which is severely under protected. Because of this ‘hotspot’ for marine life, several environmental groups recommend the creation of large sanctuaries. The Australian Conservation Society, part of the Save Our Marine Life Society, created a report, called Protecting Western Australia’s Big Blue Backyard, which was simply formed to secure the future of Australia’s south-west marine environment. Professor Jessica Meeuwig, of the Centre for Marine Futures, said, “Many economically important marine species, such as rock lobster, dhufish and baldchin groper are under threat. Large marine sanctuaries are critical to maintaining the health of the marine environment, helping fish stocks recover and securing the future of commercial and recreational fishing in the region.” Where: Perth Canyon, Australia. When: February 23, 2009, 9:00 am Why: Because of this ‘hotspot’ for marine life, several environmental groups recommend the creation of large sanctuaries. The Australian Conservation Society, part of the Save Our Marine Life Society, created a report, called Protecting Western Australia’s Big Blue Backyard, which was simply formed to secure the future of Australia’s south-west marine environment. This report highlighted Perth Canyon, one of only two known sites in Australian waters where the endangered blue whale comes to feed, and the Diamantina Fracture Zone, Australia’s largest mountain range. The report also identified the importance of creating large marine sanctuaries to Western Australia's tourism and whale watching industry. How: This issue will be solved in the near future when the environmental groups and the government, partnered together, create the large sanctuaries in either Perth Canyon and the Diamantine Fracture Zone.
My Opinion: I believe that these environmental societies should really push for the creation of these large sanctuaries. So many economically important marine species are under threat. The simple creation of these sanctuaries will help maintain the health of the marine environment, help fish stocks recover, and will secure the future of commercial and recreational fishing. It will help save the lives of countless vital species. I think it is a great idea and should be put into action right away.
Summary Who:Coral Reefs around the globe What: All around the world, much of the world's marine biodiversity face threats from activities and events such as coastal development, overfishing, inland pollution, and global climate change. When: Late 1990's till now Where: All around the world Why: Coral bleaching - caused by elevated sea surface temperatures due to global climate change; Rising levels of CO2 Diseases, Plagues and Invasives - linked to human disturbances in the environment. How: If climate change is not stopped, coral bleaching is set to steadily increase in frequency and intensity all over the world until it occurs annually by 2030 - 2070.
This would devastate coral reefs globally to such an extent that they could be eliminated from most areas of the world by 2100. Current estimates suggest that reefs could take hundreds of years to recover. The loss of these fragile ecosystems would cost billions of dollars in lost revenue from tourism and fishing industries, as well as damage to coastal regions that are currently protected by the coral reefs that line most tropical coastlines.
My Opinon: Coral reefs clean our oceans, without them, or if they are damaged our water will be gruby and gross. If the oceans just keep getting more polluted and not cleaned or helped cleaned by coral reefs all our water wild life will die. In my opinon most environmental issues are all connected in some way, when we help one issue it some how effects another for the better, so as long as we are doing something to better our environment at all times, i think we shall be ok.....hopefully.
What: solar panels that were invented by Capra J’neva and Emilie Fetscher that can be accessible and affordable for the public! They are called Veranda panels.
Where: Stanford University
When: March 4, 2009 artile published. The solar panels should be out later this year.
Why: They want to encourage a greener environment, and make it an affordable price
How: They created these panels after graduating form university, and the panels can snap on to one another so you can start with one, and then add to your collection. There is a solar inverter which converts the DC electricity into AC electricity which can be used for a simple outlet in your own home.
My Opinion: GO GREEN! It would be cool to see the world only using solar power. I believe that these solar panels could have a very positive effect on the environment if each and every household obtains one. I like the idea of having solar panels that can be affordable, and the $600 you do pay for solar power will definitely pay off! We spend so much money on electricity to power our homes, factories, schools, transit, industries etc. Overall, an invention like this NEEDS to be in every household. It is one step we can all take together in make the world of tomorrow a better place!
http://csr-asia.com/weekly_detail.php?id=11620 Are We To Blame For Asia's Natural Disasters? Over the years, Asian countries have been affected by numerous natural disasters related to weather, such as cyclones and flooding. These have ranged from Bangladesh to China and from Indonesia to Thailand, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. It has been estimated that every year for the past 20 years an average of 400 million inhabitants in Asia have exposed to floods. There are now many who believe that severe floods are the result of climate change and intensified by deforestation.
Asian rainforests and deforestation: Rainforests in Southeast Asia are considered the oldest and most biologically diverse in the world. They play an important role in ensuring our continued existence and provide clean water from streams and rivers, medicinal plants and wildlife that are an important part of our eco-system. The slopes of highland forests prevent massive water downpour during the rainy season that could result in flash floods and vegetation also prevents landslides.
However, deforestation is increasing in Asia as forest makes way for agriculture and urbanization. In Malaysia alone, the annual deforestation rate jumped almost 86% between 1990-2000 and 2000-2005. In total, Malaysia lost an average of 140,200 hectares (equivalent to 0.65% of its forest area) per year since 2000. In comparison, it lost an average of 78,500 hectares (or 0.35 percent of its forest) annually during the 1990s.
The impact of deforestation in Asia: Global deforestation contributes about 20 percent of emissions, which is more than planes, cars, trucks and ships combined. Between 2000 and 2006, deforestation in Borneo, Sumatra and New Guinea released about 3.3 billion tons of CO2. By destroying our forests, we will contribute to greater climate change that in return will increase flooding, landslides, droughts, increase in cyclone intensity, and bring threats to agriculture and the risk of freshwater pollution and the spread of disease.
For a country like Bangladesh, where four rivers converge into one of the largest deltas in the world, floods can be a catastrophe. In 2007, floods killed 298 people and a total of 10,211,780 others were badly affected; an estimated 58,866 homes were also damaged. For a poverty stricken country the impacts are devastating, since many people depend on crops and rivers to earn a living.
The devastation is not limited to the poor, or those in rural areas. In December 2008, 14 homes located on a hillside residential area in suburban Kuala Lumpur were swept away in a landslide that killed four and left another 3,000 residents stranded. The hillside area is prone to landslides, especially during the rainy season, due to removal of natural vegetation. The deaths resulted in the Malaysian Prime Minister prohibiting all hillside developments. But should it have taken this long for Malaysian developers to learn from their mistakes? In 1993, an apartment block toppled and claimed 48 lives in the same hillside area. Over the years, about 13 landslides have occurred in and around the area but developments are still on-going despite warnings that soil on hillsides is unstable.
China and India have also been hit by severe floods in recent years. China’s economic losses due to floods were estimated to be about US$30billion in 1998 and 2003. The floods also claimed over 4,000 lives, displaced over 3.5 million residents and destroyed crops and livestock. Research shows that yields of China’s staple crops such as rice, wheat and maize could fall by up to 37 percent as a result.
In India, floods washed away thousands of villagers in the state of Orissa, while in 2002 the state of Andhra Pradesh recorded its highest temperatures that claimed 1,000 lives.
What can be done? Governments, businesses, industries and NGOs need to play an important role in taking measures to stop global warming. There is a need to re-examine government policies on deforestation and more areas need to be designated as protected areas. For instance, 59 percent of Malaysian forests are not declared as protected areas. We also need to understand how education plays an important role in changing mindsets on key environmental issues.
In 2005, open burning in Indonesia resulted in a week-long haze that affected air quality to the extent that it reached dangerous levels and a state of emergency was announced in some Malaysian states. In the most badly affected, schools, government offices, businesses, shops and the port had to be closed. The Malaysian government advised citizens to stay home and to wear masks when going outdoors.
Is it worth jeopardizing health for the easiest land clearing option? The health impact is greater than we acknowledge. Businesses need to take responsibilities and governments need to impose stringent regulations with high penalties.
Reducing CO2 emissions in Asian cities: Many Asian cities are congested with vehicular traffic, releasing an ever increasing amount of C02. Solutions however have been few and far between. In Jakarta, for instance, the 3 plus 1 initiative supports car-pooling in two of its main streets (Sudirman and Thamrin Streets and Gatot Subroto Street) during rush hours to combat congestion and pollution. Although the initiative is not entirely effective and faces constant criticism, it is nevertheless a start.
Recycling and water quality: Plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic containers and other forms of plastic packaging are widely used. However, when not disposed of correctly they end up clogging drainage systems (leading to flash floods during rainy season) and contaminating water. Recent studies by the NGO Regional Environment Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH) concluded that the river water quality in water catchment zones shows serious pollution of organic compounds. Water quality is seen as the best indicator to benchmark the quality of an environment, as its deterioration can be a direct result of unsustainable development.
Who:Asian countries, Rainforests What:Deforestation contributes about 20 percent of emissions worldwide! That's HUGE! Where:Southeast Asia rainforests When: For many years in the past, specifically the past 20 years up until now and continuing on. Why: By destroying our forests, we will contribute to greater climate change that in return will increase flooding, landslides, droughts, increase in cyclone intensity, and bring threats to agriculture and the risk of freshwater pollution and the spread of disease. My Opinion: I recently did a research report on Thailand for my Socials class at school. I learned a great deal of the impact of deforestation in Thailand and the rest of Asia as well. Southeast Asia has some of the greatest rainforests in the world, yet they are quickly becoming lost in a world of no-give, all-take.
Who: Anup Shah What: Different kinds of organisms When: Saturday, June 14, 2008 Where: all around the world Why: A diverse ecosystem is very important to us because it boosts ecosystem productivity. No matter how small the organism is, God made it so it has a special role on Earth. If a species goes extinct, some things may lose the ability to prevent and recover from a variety of disasters. How: If we deforestate many jungles, we will kill a lot of insects and other living organisms.
My Opinion: I believe having Biodiversity is very important. Some people may not see that, but having biodiversity provides things such as: protectio of water resources, soils formation and protection, nutrient storage and recycling, pollution breakdown and absorption, contribution to climate stability, and many others. Without all these different types of insects/bugs/animals our world would be a lot worse-more pollution, less safe drinking water, etc.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2009/03/08/8669721-sun.html Who: 4 Skiers What: Avalanche, in-bounds Where: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort When: Yesterday Why: Bad snow conditions How: That’s what everyone is asking My Opinion: This is the second deadly, in bounds, avalanche in two years. Before that there hadn’t been one for almost 50. Rising temperatures mean that there is a gap between snowfalls. This gap allows for snow to get packed down by skiers and boarders alike. When a new snowfalls come it creates a layer overtop of the compacted snow. This means more in bound avalanches.
The eBay Green Team started over a pizza pie. In 2007, 40 eBay employees got together, driven by a common goal—to make environmental and green issues a priority within the company. Fast forward two years and over 1,000 employees across 18 different countries are currently part of the Green Team. And yesterday marked their official foray into the public sphere with the launch ofeBayGreenTeam.com, a site dedicated to uniting the community—both employees and customers/vendors—around a common dialogue of behavior change. “We want to push the envelope,” says Libby Reder, eBay’s Head of Environmental Initiatives, in regards to the mission of the Green Team. To inspire everyone to become “smarter, greener consumers.” We’ve covered some of eBay’s efforts in social enterprise previously, but as Earth Day rapidly approaches, the company is making a point to highlight many of its green efforts across the board. Not only does it boast a LEED-Gold certified campus at its corporate headquarters in San Jose, CA (which also houses the city’s largest solar installation), the company is also proud to not have a large supply chain nor retail footprint. Rather, eBay views itself as more of a conduit, a connector. Even a change-agent, to use a term previously discussed here. A connector of buyers and sellers, eBay has the unique ability to impact both the supply AND demand sides of commerce.
Summary Who: eBay
What: eBay is trying to go green by establishing a website called “eBayGreenTeam.com”
When: March 5, 2009
Where: eBay companies all over the world
Why: To do their part in helping the environment
How: Two years ago, 40 employees got together and tried to make the environment a priority within the company. Now there are over 1000 employees in 18 different countries who are now on-board with the idea.
My Opinion I think it’s great that a company like eBay is now going green. Every bit counts and if we all do our part, we may be able to reverse some of the massive effects we have had on the environment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litter Summary: Who: The environment is being affected by littering. What: Litter is harmful to our environment Where: Everywhere When: Ever since ancient Greece to the present day Western hemisphere, humans have thrown unwanted refuse onto streets, country sides and remote places, unpunished. Prior to reforms within cities in the mid to late 1800s, sanitation was not a priority on governments' lists of things to do. Waste was disposed of by the roadside or in small local dumps. It was unsanitary for local inhabitants and the growing piles of waste led to the spread of disease. Why: Litter is waste disposed of in the wrong place by unlawful human action and can vary in size of incident, occurrence or items. It can occur as small items like wrappers, large collections of waste or scatterings of litter dispersed around public places outdoors. Litter can be occasioned by malicious intent, carelessness, or by accident. Litter has the potential to cause harm to human health, safety, and welfare; it harms wildlife and environmental quality on Earth. Waste abandoned in a private space is not considered litter. The American Public Works Association standardized the term litter in the mid-20th Century, to be later known as a form of solid waste — "material which, if thrown or deposited, tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare." Litter is categorized into three specific components: hazardous, reusable-recyclable and non-hazardous, non-from trash-hauling vehicles, unsecured loads, or construction sites. How: Litter can harm the environment in a number of different ways. It is a breeding ground for disease-causing insects and rodents. Its "ugliness" damages the appearance of scenic environments. Open containers such as paper cups or beverage cans can hold rainwater, providing breeding locations for mosquitoes which have been known to cause diseases such as West Nile Virus and Malaria. Uncollected litter can attract more, flowing into streams, and storm water drainage systems, local bays and estuaries. Animals may get trapped or poisoned with litter in their habitats. Cigarette butts and filters, a threat to wildlife, have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds and whales, who have mistaken them for food.
Everyone should start using the trash cans i mean our city puts them there for a reason. We are constantly complaining about the spread of deseases and global warming. Why don't we stop whining and start using trash cans.
Summary: Who: Logging companies and forest-worker unions What: Clear cutting or clear felling Where: The environment When: Now Why: Clearcutting or clearfelling is a forestry/logging practice in which most or all of all trees in a harvest area are cut down. It is a controversial practice. Logging companies and forest-worker unions support the practice for safety and economical reasons, but also acclaim clearcutting's ecological benefits. Detractors see clearcutting as a destruction of habitat and even as a contributor to global warming. How: Clearcutting includes both: • silvicultural clearcut, which removes every stem so the forest will be regenerated with no over story. • commercial clearcut which removes only commercially valuable trees, leaving the other trees standing. Before the advent of modern forestry, was the chief method of logging, with no regeneration for the areas cut, which were converted to other uses or left to regenerate naturally. In areas of the world where replanting is not undertaken, this continues to be the case. In the past and present, this kind of clearcutting without any replanting is practiced in forests where virtually every tree is valuable, as in an old growth forest. In forestry, clearcutting is practiced to regenerate species that require large disturbed high light intensity environments. In a silvicultural planned clearcut virtually all trees are removed, even trees that are not commercially valuable, in order to achieve the outcome environment desired by commercial foresters, including light and soil factors. Clearcuts that are improperly planned have some of the same negative effects of clearcuts with no plan for regeneration. Clearcutting on steep slopes can result in very high erosion rates, for instance. In Developing countries and Least developed countries the practice of slash-and-burn is a common form of clearcutting, and in modern times is especially prevalent in tropical and subtropical forests, as a way for overpopulated regions strive to eke out a subsistence.
We're going to run out of our resources plus trees are beautiful and we dont need to use this many. We're freaking out about our world ending when we have the power to stop the distruction.
Who: people in the village along Bay of Bengal What: Village well has salty water When: March 11, 2009 09:40 AM Where: Along the bay of Bengal Why: Because of the climate change..
My Opinion: I think that it would suck to be them. I mean, drink salty water? Gross.
The total "long-term" carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached 455 parts per million in 2005. (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report) It had not been expected to reach this level for a decade and is considered a tipping point.
"The amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is already above the threshold that can potentially cause dangerous climate change. We are already at risk...It's not next year or next decade, it's now." (Tim Flannery, climate change expert) (1), (2).
Scientist Chris Field from the IPCC says the current trajectory of climate change is now much worse than the IPCC had originally projected in part due to China and India’s increasing reliance on coal power.
The research shows carbon emissions have grown sharply since 2000, despite growing concerns about global warming. During the 1990s, carbon emissions grew by less than 1% per year. Since 2000, emissions have grown at a rate of 3.5% per year. No part of the world had a decline in emissions from 2000 to 2008.
Earlier this month, Field told the American Association for the Advancement of Science:
"We are basically looking now at a future climate beyond anything we’ve considered seriously in climate model situations." (1) Who - us What - The earth where - every were when - Right now why?- Because of our stupidity and selfishness My Opinion - We need to do drastic changes on what we do and how we do it. Even if it means changing our life style, and it will mean that. But its not going to kill us. So i think we need to stepp upto the plate.
WHO: Earth saves the humans while we try to save the earth
WHAT: Humans are have been putting out massive amounts of Carbon Dioxide into the air due to increase in population. This is making plants grow faster and bigger. By the plants using this CO2 it reduces climate change.
WHEN: Since humans starting making WAAAAYYY to many kids.
WHERE: the whole earth
WHY: Because other than, "be fruitfull, and multiply" we really can't help it. except for hold your breath
HOW: we release CO2 plants absorb it????
OPINION: I think God knew what would have happened and that the world would come to and end sooner or later....but God is real so fear him and the plants that save us.
Jesse Ord Australia Invests Millions Into Whale Research! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27754945/#storyContinued Who? Australians What? They are paying alot of money to show Japan that you can study whales without killing them. When? America. Where? Australia Why? So that the Japanees dont kill whales unnecessarily How? Preserving the whales life to study them instead of killing them. My Opinion I think this is a wonderful idea! although I think a more pressing issue is maybe the thousands of dying children in the world versus the mink whale population I think that the department of fisheries is doing a good job!
This weeks news coming from WWF staff in Donsol, Philippines is shedding new light on the breeding habits of the biggest sharks in the ocean - and how serious boots on the ground efforts by NGO's help shark conservation.
A tiny whale shark was found at the weekend with a rope tied around its tail, secured to a stick poked in the sand in a coastal town near Donsol in Sorsogon province.
Environment group WWF said a hawker was allegedly trying to sell the fish in an area that sees the world's largest known annual gathering of whale sharks. After checking to see the baby whale shark was unhurt, WWF, police and government officials measured and photographed it before releasing it in deeper water. When:April 6th
Where:Philippines
Why:The whale shark was being held to inspected by liars.
My opinion:The whale shark is bigger and better than ever and needs to be preserved. The joint efforts of the three groups are working towards helping out with the whale shark depreciation.
Lets keep the World for a little longer...........PLeAZz
15 Comments:
Environmental Article Summary #10
Rebekah McMurphy
March 5th, 2009
Geography 12
Rescuers Save Whales and Dolphins Stranded on Tasmanian Beach
http://environment.about.com/b/
2009/03/02/rescuers-save-whales-and-dolphins-stranded-on-tasmanian-beach.htm
Who:
Rescuers
What:
Saved 54 pilot whales and 6 dolphins from about 200 marine mammals
When:
Sunday March 1st, 2009.
Where:
King Island (between Tasmania and Australia)
Why:
Because they got stranded on the beach. Volunteers and Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Services employees refloated the surviving whales and dolphins.
How:
They pushed them back into the ocean at high tide, returning them back to the sea. But while they were waiting they kept them wet and got them covered with anything they could (bedspreads, blankets and towels).
My Opinion:
I think it’s sad all the rest of the animals died. In the last 3 months there has been more than 400 whales stranded on Tasmania, and there has been other mass strandings in the past years. There were lots of whales in the water that were calling to the whales that were on the shore, which I think is really sad. I hope that more whales and dolphins don’t die, hopefully there will be some sort of solution to help them.
Protecting the Big Ol’ Blue
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/39355
Summary:
Who: Save Our Marine Life Society, which is a collaboration of environmental groups.
What: 90% of all the worlds marine species are found off Australia’s south-west coast, which is severely under protected. Because of this ‘hotspot’ for marine life, several environmental groups recommend the creation of large sanctuaries. The Australian Conservation Society, part of the Save Our Marine Life Society, created a report, called Protecting Western Australia’s Big Blue Backyard, which was simply formed to secure the future of Australia’s south-west marine environment. Professor Jessica Meeuwig, of the Centre for Marine Futures, said, “Many economically important marine species, such as rock lobster, dhufish and baldchin groper are under threat. Large marine sanctuaries are critical to maintaining the health of the marine environment, helping fish stocks recover and securing the future of commercial and recreational fishing in the region.”
Where: Perth Canyon, Australia.
When: February 23, 2009, 9:00 am
Why: Because of this ‘hotspot’ for marine life, several environmental groups recommend the creation of large sanctuaries. The Australian Conservation Society, part of the Save Our Marine Life Society, created a report, called Protecting Western Australia’s Big Blue Backyard, which was simply formed to secure the future of Australia’s south-west marine environment. This report highlighted Perth Canyon, one of only two known sites in Australian waters where the endangered blue whale comes to feed, and the Diamantina Fracture Zone, Australia’s largest mountain range. The report also identified the importance of creating large marine sanctuaries to Western Australia's tourism and whale watching industry.
How: This issue will be solved in the near future when the environmental groups and the government, partnered together, create the large sanctuaries in either Perth Canyon and the Diamantine Fracture Zone.
My Opinion:
I believe that these environmental societies should really push for the creation of these large sanctuaries. So many economically important marine species are under threat. The simple creation of these sanctuaries will help maintain the health of the marine environment, help fish stocks recover, and will secure the future of commercial and recreational fishing. It will help save the lives of countless vital species. I think it is a great idea and should be put into action right away.
-Ashleigh Miller
Coral Reefs are Dying around the World
http://www.globalissues.org/article/173/coral-reefs
Summary
Who:Coral Reefs around the globe
What: All around the world, much of the world's marine biodiversity face threats from activities and events such as coastal development, overfishing, inland pollution, and global climate change.
When: Late 1990's till now
Where: All around the world
Why: Coral bleaching - caused by elevated sea surface temperatures due to global climate change;
Rising levels of CO2
Diseases, Plagues and Invasives - linked to human disturbances in the environment.
How: If climate change is not stopped, coral bleaching is set to steadily increase in frequency and intensity all over the world until it occurs annually by 2030 - 2070.
This would devastate coral reefs globally to such an extent that they could be eliminated from most areas of the world by 2100. Current estimates suggest that reefs could take hundreds of years to recover. The loss of these fragile ecosystems would cost billions of dollars in lost revenue from tourism and fishing industries, as well as damage to coastal regions that are currently protected by the coral reefs that line most tropical coastlines.
My Opinon: Coral reefs clean our oceans, without them, or if they are damaged our water will be gruby and gross. If the oceans just keep getting more polluted and not cleaned or helped cleaned by coral reefs all our water wild life will die. In my opinon most environmental issues are all connected in some way, when we help one issue it some how effects another for the better, so as long as we are doing something to better our environment at all times, i think we shall be ok.....hopefully.
TITLE: Solar Power For $2 A Day
Source: http://www.enn.com/sci-tech/article/39420
Who: Capra J'neva and Emilie Fetscher
What: solar panels that were invented by Capra J’neva and Emilie Fetscher that can be accessible and affordable for the public! They are called Veranda panels.
Where: Stanford University
When: March 4, 2009 artile published. The solar panels should be out later this year.
Why: They want to encourage a greener environment, and make it an affordable price
How: They created these panels after graduating form university, and the panels can snap on to one another so you can start with one, and then add to your collection. There is a solar inverter which converts the DC electricity into AC electricity which can be used for a simple outlet in your own home.
My Opinion:
GO GREEN! It would be cool to see the world only using solar power. I believe that these solar panels could have a very positive effect on the environment if each and every household obtains one. I like the idea of having solar panels that can be affordable, and the $600 you do pay for solar power will definitely pay off! We spend so much money on electricity to power our homes, factories, schools, transit, industries etc. Overall, an invention like this NEEDS to be in every household. It is one step we can all take together in make the world of tomorrow a better place!
http://csr-asia.com/weekly_detail.php?id=11620
Are We To Blame For Asia's Natural Disasters?
Over the years, Asian countries have been affected by numerous natural disasters related to weather, such as cyclones and flooding. These have ranged from Bangladesh to China and from Indonesia to Thailand, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. It has been estimated that every year for the past 20 years an average of 400 million inhabitants in Asia have exposed to floods. There are now many who believe that severe floods are the result of climate change and intensified by deforestation.
Asian rainforests and deforestation: Rainforests in Southeast Asia are considered the oldest and most biologically diverse in the world. They play an important role in ensuring our continued existence and provide clean water from streams and rivers, medicinal plants and wildlife that are an important part of our eco-system. The slopes of highland forests prevent massive water downpour during the rainy season that could result in flash floods and vegetation also prevents landslides.
However, deforestation is increasing in Asia as forest makes way for agriculture and urbanization. In Malaysia alone, the annual deforestation rate jumped almost 86% between 1990-2000 and 2000-2005. In total, Malaysia lost an average of 140,200 hectares (equivalent to 0.65% of its forest area) per year since 2000. In comparison, it lost an average of 78,500 hectares (or 0.35 percent of its forest) annually during the 1990s.
The impact of deforestation in Asia: Global deforestation contributes about 20 percent of emissions, which is more than planes, cars, trucks and ships combined. Between 2000 and 2006, deforestation in Borneo, Sumatra and New Guinea released about 3.3 billion tons of CO2. By destroying our forests, we will contribute to greater climate change that in return will increase flooding, landslides, droughts, increase in cyclone intensity, and bring threats to agriculture and the risk of freshwater pollution and the spread of disease.
For a country like Bangladesh, where four rivers converge into one of the largest deltas in the world, floods can be a catastrophe. In 2007, floods killed 298 people and a total of 10,211,780 others were badly affected; an estimated 58,866 homes were also damaged. For a poverty stricken country the impacts are devastating, since many people depend on crops and rivers to earn a living.
The devastation is not limited to the poor, or those in rural areas. In December 2008, 14 homes located on a hillside residential area in suburban Kuala Lumpur were swept away in a landslide that killed four and left another 3,000 residents stranded. The hillside area is prone to landslides, especially during the rainy season, due to removal of natural vegetation. The deaths resulted in the Malaysian Prime Minister prohibiting all hillside developments. But should it have taken this long for Malaysian developers to learn from their mistakes? In 1993, an apartment block toppled and claimed 48 lives in the same hillside area. Over the years, about 13 landslides have occurred in and around the area but developments are still on-going despite warnings that soil on hillsides is unstable.
China and India have also been hit by severe floods in recent years. China’s economic losses due to floods were estimated to be about US$30billion in 1998 and 2003. The floods also claimed over 4,000 lives, displaced over 3.5 million residents and destroyed crops and livestock. Research shows that yields of China’s staple crops such as rice, wheat and maize could fall by up to 37 percent as a result.
In India, floods washed away thousands of villagers in the state of Orissa, while in 2002 the state of Andhra Pradesh recorded its highest temperatures that claimed 1,000 lives.
What can be done? Governments, businesses, industries and NGOs need to play an important role in taking measures to stop global warming. There is a need to re-examine government policies on deforestation and more areas need to be designated as protected areas. For instance, 59 percent of Malaysian forests are not declared as protected areas. We also need to understand how education plays an important role in changing mindsets on key environmental issues.
In 2005, open burning in Indonesia resulted in a week-long haze that affected air quality to the extent that it reached dangerous levels and a state of emergency was announced in some Malaysian states. In the most badly affected, schools, government offices, businesses, shops and the port had to be closed. The Malaysian government advised citizens to stay home and to wear masks when going outdoors.
Is it worth jeopardizing health for the easiest land clearing option? The health impact is greater than we acknowledge. Businesses need to take responsibilities and governments need to impose stringent regulations with high penalties.
Reducing CO2 emissions in Asian cities: Many Asian cities are congested with vehicular traffic, releasing an ever increasing amount of C02. Solutions however have been few and far between. In Jakarta, for instance, the 3 plus 1 initiative supports car-pooling in two of its main streets (Sudirman and Thamrin Streets and Gatot Subroto Street) during rush hours to combat congestion and pollution. Although the initiative is not entirely effective and faces constant criticism, it is nevertheless a start.
Recycling and water quality: Plastic bottles, plastic bags, plastic containers and other forms of plastic packaging are widely used. However, when not disposed of correctly they end up clogging drainage systems (leading to flash floods during rainy season) and contaminating water. Recent studies by the NGO Regional Environment Awareness Cameron Highlands (REACH) concluded that the river water quality in water catchment zones shows serious pollution of organic compounds. Water quality is seen as the best indicator to benchmark the quality of an environment, as its deterioration can be a direct result of unsustainable development.
Who:Asian countries, Rainforests
What:Deforestation contributes about 20 percent of emissions worldwide! That's HUGE!
Where:Southeast Asia rainforests
When: For many years in the past, specifically the past 20 years up until now and continuing on.
Why: By destroying our forests, we will contribute to greater climate change that in return will increase flooding, landslides, droughts, increase in cyclone intensity, and bring threats to agriculture and the risk of freshwater pollution and the spread of disease.
My Opinion: I recently did a research report on Thailand for my Socials class at school. I learned a great deal of the impact of deforestation in Thailand and the rest of Asia as well. Southeast Asia has some of the greatest rainforests in the world, yet they are quickly becoming lost in a world of no-give, all-take.
Andrei Eremia
Why Is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares?
http://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important-who-cares
Who: Anup Shah
What: Different kinds of organisms
When: Saturday, June 14, 2008
Where: all around the world
Why: A diverse ecosystem is very important to us because it boosts ecosystem productivity. No matter how small the organism is,
God made it so it has a special role on Earth. If a species goes extinct, some things may lose the ability to prevent and
recover from a variety of disasters.
How: If we deforestate many jungles, we will kill a lot of insects and other living organisms.
My Opinion: I believe having Biodiversity is very important. Some people may not see that, but having
biodiversity provides things such as: protectio of water resources, soils formation and protection,
nutrient storage and recycling, pollution breakdown and absorption, contribution to climate stability, and
many others. Without all these different types of insects/bugs/animals our world would be a lot worse-more
pollution, less safe drinking water, etc.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2009/03/08/8669721-sun.html
Who: 4 Skiers
What: Avalanche, in-bounds
Where: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
When: Yesterday
Why: Bad snow conditions
How: That’s what everyone is asking
My Opinion: This is the second deadly, in bounds, avalanche in two years. Before that there hadn’t been one for almost 50. Rising temperatures mean that there is a gap between snowfalls. This gap allows for snow to get packed down by skiers and boarders alike. When a new snowfalls come it creates a layer overtop of the compacted snow. This means more in bound avalanches.
eBay Launches Green Community
“http://www.enn.com/business/article/39423”
The eBay Green Team started over a pizza pie. In 2007, 40 eBay employees got together, driven by a common goal—to make environmental and green issues a priority within the company. Fast forward two years and over 1,000 employees across 18 different countries are currently part of the Green Team. And yesterday marked their official foray into the public sphere with the launch ofeBayGreenTeam.com, a site dedicated to uniting the community—both employees and customers/vendors—around a common dialogue of behavior change. “We want to push the envelope,” says Libby Reder, eBay’s Head of Environmental Initiatives, in regards to the mission of the Green Team. To inspire everyone to become “smarter, greener consumers.” We’ve covered some of eBay’s efforts in social enterprise previously, but as Earth Day rapidly approaches, the company is making a point to highlight many of its green efforts across the board. Not only does it boast a LEED-Gold certified campus at its corporate headquarters in San Jose, CA (which also houses the city’s largest solar installation), the company is also proud to not have a large supply chain nor retail footprint. Rather, eBay views itself as more of a conduit, a connector. Even a change-agent, to use a term previously discussed here. A connector of buyers and sellers, eBay has the unique ability to impact both the supply AND demand sides of commerce.
Summary
Who: eBay
What: eBay is trying to go green by establishing a website called “eBayGreenTeam.com”
When: March 5, 2009
Where: eBay companies all over the world
Why: To do their part in helping the environment
How: Two years ago, 40 employees got together and tried to make the environment a priority within the company. Now there are over 1000 employees in 18 different countries who are now on-board with the idea.
My Opinion
I think it’s great that a company like eBay is now going green. Every bit counts and if we all do our part, we may be able to reverse some of the massive effects we have had on the environment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litter
Summary:
Who: The environment is being affected by littering.
What: Litter is harmful to our environment
Where: Everywhere
When: Ever since ancient Greece to the present day Western hemisphere, humans have thrown unwanted refuse onto streets, country sides and remote places, unpunished. Prior to reforms within cities in the mid to late 1800s, sanitation was not a priority on governments' lists of things to do. Waste was disposed of by the roadside or in small local dumps. It was unsanitary for local inhabitants and the growing piles of waste led to the spread of disease.
Why: Litter is waste disposed of in the wrong place by unlawful human action and can vary in size of incident, occurrence or items. It can occur as small items like wrappers, large collections of waste or scatterings of litter dispersed around public places outdoors. Litter can be occasioned by malicious intent, carelessness, or by accident. Litter has the potential to cause harm to human health, safety, and welfare; it harms wildlife and environmental quality on Earth. Waste abandoned in a private space is not considered litter. The American Public Works Association standardized the term litter in the mid-20th Century, to be later known as a form of solid waste — "material which, if thrown or deposited, tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare." Litter is categorized into three specific components: hazardous, reusable-recyclable and non-hazardous, non-from trash-hauling vehicles, unsecured loads, or construction sites.
How: Litter can harm the environment in a number of different ways. It is a breeding ground for disease-causing insects and rodents. Its "ugliness" damages the appearance of scenic environments. Open containers such as paper cups or beverage cans can hold rainwater, providing breeding locations for mosquitoes which have been known to cause diseases such as West Nile Virus and Malaria. Uncollected litter can attract more, flowing into streams, and storm water drainage systems, local bays and estuaries. Animals may get trapped or poisoned with litter in their habitats. Cigarette butts and filters, a threat to wildlife, have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds and whales, who have mistaken them for food.
Everyone should start using the trash cans i mean our city puts them there for a reason. We are constantly complaining about the spread of deseases and global warming. Why don't we stop whining and start using trash cans.
Summary:
Who: Logging companies and forest-worker unions
What: Clear cutting or clear felling
Where: The environment
When: Now
Why: Clearcutting or clearfelling is a forestry/logging practice in which most or all of all trees in a harvest area are cut down. It is a controversial practice. Logging companies and forest-worker unions support the practice for safety and economical reasons, but also acclaim clearcutting's ecological benefits. Detractors see clearcutting as a destruction of habitat and even as a contributor to global warming.
How: Clearcutting includes both:
• silvicultural clearcut, which removes every stem so the forest will be regenerated with no over story.
• commercial clearcut which removes only commercially valuable trees, leaving the other trees standing.
Before the advent of modern forestry, was the chief method of logging, with no regeneration for the areas cut, which were converted to other uses or left to regenerate naturally. In areas of the world where replanting is not undertaken, this continues to be the case. In the past and present, this kind of clearcutting without any replanting is practiced in forests where virtually every tree is valuable, as in an old growth forest.
In forestry, clearcutting is practiced to regenerate species that require large disturbed high light intensity environments. In a silvicultural planned clearcut virtually all trees are removed, even trees that are not commercially valuable, in order to achieve the outcome environment desired by commercial foresters, including light and soil factors. Clearcuts that are improperly planned have some of the same negative effects of clearcuts with no plan for regeneration. Clearcutting on steep slopes can result in very high erosion rates, for instance.
In Developing countries and Least developed countries the practice of slash-and-burn is a common form of clearcutting, and in modern times is especially prevalent in tropical and subtropical forests, as a way for overpopulated regions strive to eke out a subsistence.
We're going to run out of our resources plus trees are beautiful and we dont need to use this many. We're freaking out about our world ending when we have the power to stop the distruction.
Salt surge puts crops in peril
http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/39441
Who: people in the village along Bay of Bengal
What: Village well has salty water
When: March 11, 2009 09:40 AM
Where: Along the bay of Bengal
Why: Because of the climate change..
My Opinion: I think that it would suck to be them. I mean, drink salty water? Gross.
--Maegan
http://www.globalstewards.org/issues.htm
The total "long-term" carbon dioxide equivalent of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached 455 parts per million in 2005. (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report) It had not been expected to reach this level for a decade and is considered a tipping point.
"The amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere is already above the threshold that can potentially cause dangerous climate change. We are already at risk...It's not next year or next decade, it's now." (Tim Flannery, climate change expert) (1), (2).
Scientist Chris Field from the IPCC says the current trajectory of climate change is now much worse than the IPCC had originally projected in part due to China and India’s increasing reliance on coal power.
The research shows carbon emissions have grown sharply since 2000, despite growing concerns about global warming. During the 1990s, carbon emissions grew by less than 1% per year. Since 2000, emissions have grown at a rate of 3.5% per year. No part of the world had a decline in emissions from 2000 to 2008.
Earlier this month, Field told the American Association for the Advancement of Science:
"We are basically looking now at a future climate beyond anything we’ve considered seriously in climate model situations." (1)
Who - us
What - The earth
where - every were
when - Right now
why?- Because of our stupidity and selfishness
My Opinion - We need to do drastic changes on what we do and how we do it. Even if it means changing our life style, and it will mean that. But its not going to kill us.
So i think we need to stepp upto the plate.
ARTICLE: http://www.enn.com/ecosystems/article/39590
WHO: Earth saves the humans while we try to save the earth
WHAT: Humans are have been putting out massive amounts of Carbon Dioxide into the air due to increase in population. This is making plants grow faster and bigger. By the plants using this CO2 it reduces climate change.
WHEN: Since humans starting making WAAAAYYY to many kids.
WHERE: the whole earth
WHY: Because other than, "be fruitfull, and multiply" we really can't help it. except for hold your breath
HOW: we release CO2 plants absorb it????
OPINION: I think God knew what would have happened and that the world would come to and end sooner or later....but God is real so fear him and the plants that save us.
Jesse Ord
Australia Invests Millions Into Whale Research!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27754945/#storyContinued
Who? Australians
What? They are paying alot of money to show Japan that you can study whales without killing them.
When? America.
Where? Australia
Why? So that the Japanees dont kill whales unnecessarily
How? Preserving the whales life to study them instead of killing them.
My Opinion I think this is a wonderful idea! although I think a more pressing issue is maybe the thousands of dying children in the world versus the mink whale population I think that the department of fisheries is doing a good job!
Evan
http://www.zimbio.com
This weeks news coming from WWF staff in Donsol, Philippines is shedding new light on the breeding habits of the biggest sharks in the ocean - and how serious boots on the ground efforts by NGO's help shark conservation.
A tiny whale shark was found at the weekend with a rope tied around its tail, secured to a stick poked in the sand in a coastal town near Donsol in Sorsogon province.
Environment group WWF said a hawker was allegedly trying to sell the fish in an area that sees the world's largest known annual gathering of whale sharks. After checking to see the baby whale shark was unhurt, WWF, police and government officials measured and photographed it before releasing it in deeper water.
When:April 6th
Where:Philippines
Why:The whale shark was being held to inspected by liars.
My opinion:The whale shark is bigger and better than ever and needs to be preserved. The joint efforts of the three groups are working towards helping out with the whale shark depreciation.
Lets keep the World for a little longer...........PLeAZz
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